Gift Of Time: Celebrating Hope and Resilience of Breast Cancer Survivors
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in Malaysia1 with close to 50% presenting in advanced stages2
- Gift of Time event unites, honors and empowers breast cancer survivors on their ‘Living Well, Living Longer’ journey
- Extending life while maintaining a good quality of life is made possible with innovative medicines, allowing advanced breast cancer (aBC) survivors to have more good days to experience meaningful milestones in life
Petaling Jaya, February 19, 2024 – The National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) and Beacon Hospital jointly hosted a unique event titled “Gift Of Time”, a celebration of breast cancer survivorship to enable a sense of community in a mutually supportive space. This collaboration was supported by Novartis Malaysia.
Dedicated to celebrating the resilience of breast cancer survivors, the all-encompassing session featured an enriching day that included wellness talks, survivor-sharing sessions, and mindfulness activities. The hope is to create a platform for breast cancer survivors to come together and, ultimately, foster a robust peer support system in the future.
This is following the findings that that aBC patients in particular have various unmet needs, such as the need for peer support3. It’s essential to address this, as 47.9% of breast cancer cases in Malaysia were detected at stages III and IV4.
To raise awareness, advocates and healthcare professionals also spoke about breast cancer in general, treatment options, and the importance of early detection. Patients were also advised to seek assistance via patient support programs or advocacy groups.
Story of Hope and Resilience
An event participant, Ta Huey Mein, age 50, received an aBC diagnosis when she was 48. With this challenging reality, Ta, who is single and has elderly parents, made swift decisions and diligently followed her oncologist’s advice.
After conventional treatments of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she was finally able to access innovative therapies. This meant a lot to her because it not only controlled her cancer but allowed her to continue with life as usual because quitting her job is simply not an option.
Reflecting on her experience, Ta shares her advice to others facing similar challenges:
“Be positive, and remember, you are not alone. Your family and doctors are there for you. Always seek accurate medical information from a credible medical practitioner as there is a lot of inaccurate information out there.
Empowering Breast Cancer Patients in Malaysia
Dr Tho Lye Mun, Head of Oncology at Beacon Hospital, shared:
“Connecting with other survivors who are also on the same journey allows patients empathize and support each other, celebrate milestones, and draw strength from their collective experiences. This can create a profound impact on how breast cancer survivors sustain their fight against the condition.”
Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Managing Director of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, said:
“We encourage breast cancer survivors to not only focus on their physical well-being but to also consider the emotional and financial aspects of their journey. With all the medical advancements we see, preserved quality of life is no longer a luxury, but a necessity.”
Mohamed Elwakil, Country President for Novartis Malaysia, highlights:
“Our support for initiatives such as “Gift of Time” is a result of having listened to what aBC patients want and need. In addition to living longer – gaining additional days where they can celebrate key milestones – they also do better with peer support. Gift of Time is a unique platform for them to forge new connection plus camaraderie and Novartis is here to enable that. Ensuring patients’ well-being and long-term survival goes beyond providing access to innovative medicines and it is part of our larger purpose to improve and extend the lives of over 32 million Malaysians.”
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About Novartis Malaysia
Novartis had a long heritage and legacy in Malaysia. Established in 1971, we are a leading multinational company employing close to 700 associates who work in the Novartis International division and Novartis Corporate Center, Kuala Lumpur. Through our over 50-year presence in Malaysia, Novartis Malaysia continues to deliver on its corporate purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend the lives of over 32 million Malaysians.
In 2022, Novartis Malaysia was recognized as Sponsor of the Year by Clinical Research Malaysia for initiating 24 new clinical trials. We also have a proven track record of expanding access to our innovative medicines in private or public via collaborations with the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Through these collaborations, Novartis has succeeded in touching the lives of more than 1.7 million Malaysian patients.
Starting March 7, 2022, Novartis Malaysia’s office is located in the new cutting-edge building called Plaza Imazium in Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya. Novartis Malaysia occupies 2 floors and was one of 20 offices in Malaysia to be LEED Gold certified and the first office to be WELL Silver certified.
References
1. Hisham, A. N., & Yip, C. H. (2004). Overview of breast cancer in Malaysian women: A problem with late diagnosis. Asian Journal of Surgery, 27(2), 130-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1015-9584(09)60326-2
2. Malaysia National Cancer Registry - Ministry of Health. Available at: (Accessed: 15 January 2024).https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/resources/Penerbitan/Laporan/Umum/2012-2016%20(MNCRR)/MNCR_2012-2016_FINAL_(PUBLISHED_2019).pdf?force_isolation=true
3. Park, H. Y., Kim, M. J., Kim, J. Y., Kim, S., Choi, J. Y., Kim, J. H., & Jeong, H. Y. (2018). Could peer support programs be a good resource for managing the unmet needs of cancer patients? Journal of Cancer Education, 34(5), 950–957.
4. Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). (2023, February 3). Information and support for metastatic breast cancer patients in Malaysia. UICC. Accessed on October 30, 2023. https://www.uicc.org/case-studies/information-and-support-metastatic-breast-cancer-patients-malaysia
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Novartis Media Relations
Abby Lu
Communications and Engagement